Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Defense Committee commented on the likelihood of forcibly mobilizing foreigners

The idea of forcibly mobilizing 100,000 foreigners in Ukraine has no basis in state policy and contradicts the Constitution.

Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Verkhovna Rada committee, said that such initiatives have not been considered.

The issue of forcibly mobilizing foreigners was raised by Denys Yaroslavskyi, commander of a reconnaissance unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He claimed there are 100,000 such men in Ukraine and that mobilizing them would significantly strengthen the army. He said the idea is being “worked through” in the General Staff and is supported by many MPs.

Commenting on information circulating publicly about the possibility of forcibly mobilizing foreigners, Venislavskyi stressed that such initiatives have not been considered at the parliamentary level.

“First, at the level of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, such initiatives definitely have not been considered and, from the standpoint of the Constitution, cannot be considered. Under the Constitution, the duty to defend the state is a duty of citizens of Ukraine. Foreigners and stateless persons do not bear such a duty in Ukraine,” he said.

According to the MP, for any legal grounds for mobilizing foreigners to appear, the basic legislation would have to be changed.

“For any legal grounds to arise for mobilizing persons who are not citizens of Ukraine, it would be necessary to amend the Law of Ukraine ‘On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization.’ However, that would still contradict the Constitution of Ukraine,” Venislavskyi explained.

He emphasized that current legislation provides only a voluntary format of service for foreigners.

“The only mechanism for foreigners to serve in the armed forces that exists today is service in a foreign legion, carried out exclusively on a voluntary basis by signing a contract. No forced mobilization of foreigners in Ukraine, I stress again, can exist in principle, because it does not comply with either the Constitution of Ukraine or the current legislation on mobilization and military service,” the deputy said.